A full weekend of stakes action is scheduled to take place at Newmarket in England, including their first two Classics of the year. In Saturday and Sunday cards that have strong Australian connections, the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas runs at 12.40am AEST on Sunday and the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas at the same time on Monday.
Note: Sunday’s races have not yet released final declarations so a few horses mentioned here may not be in the Sunday entries.
Australian sires dominate 1000 Guineas field
Pride Of Dubai’s first European crop has yielded a Classic runner with his Group 3-winning daughter Star Of Emaraaty (Ire) scheduled to line up in the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas. That filly is out of a half-sister to the late New Zealand stallion Rip Van Winkle (Ire) and from the family of one-time Australian runner Fleet Review (USA) (War Front {USA}).
Group 3-placed Vadream (GB) represents Brazen Beau in the 1000 Guineas in her third career start. The filly is out of a half-sister to multiple Australian stakes winner Big Duke (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}) who was retired last September. The family also includes Australian stakes winner Haripour (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}), who is in training with Emma Church and holds entries on Saturday at Morphettville and Sandown.
Exceed And Excel looks to add to his already legendary career when Sacred (GB) goes for a victory in the 1000 Guineas. The Group 3-winning filly is out of a half-sister to Champion Lady Eli (USA) (Divine Park {USA}) and Grade 2 winner Bizzy Caroline (USA) (Afleet Alex {USA}). A strong family from top to bottom, Sacred sees champions and Group 1 winners from multiple countries under both her second and third dam.
Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {Ire}) is a granddaughter of a half-sister to New Zealand stakes winner Sweet Treat’s (NZ) (Ekraar {USA}) dam among three stakes performers from the country. That group descends from Flinders (USA) (Royal Academy {USA}), who spend much of her breeding career in New Zealand. Flinder’s youngest foal is an unnamed 3-year-old colt by Ekraar (USA) with the mare also having a 4-year-old colt by Sacred Falls (NZ) named Always More (NZ).
Fastnet Rock’s Seattle Rock (GB) is among the runners in this race after placing in multiple Group 3s last year. The filly is also a half-sister to a two-time winner by Exceed And Excel with the pair coming from also the family of Wedgetail Eagle (Lure {USA}), who produced four stakes winners led by Group 1 winner Eagle Way (More Than Ready {USA}). The mare’s daughter Soaressa (Twining {USA}) produced two stakes horses herself while Wedgetail Eagle daughter Rough Ride (Flying Spur) produced Capitalist’s Group 3 winner Kalashnikov. Retired from breeding in 2020, Wedgetail Eagle’s final foal is a yearling Pride Of Dubai colt.
New Zealand shuttle sire Belardo (Ire) sees Group 3 winner Lullaby Moon (GB) represent his first Northern Hemisphere crop in the Classic. The filly’s second dam is also the grandam of Hong Kong runner Sea The Pearls (GB) (Indesatchel {Ire}). Belardo’s first Southern Hemisphere crop has produced the stakes winning Avonallo (NZ) and Group 2-placed Fonsalette (NZ).
American Pharoah (USA) sends out his 5l maiden winner Queen’s Speech (USA) in this Classic for her second career start. The filly is a half-sister to the Grade 2-placed Heart Of Paradise (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}) and stakes-placed Summer Reading (USA) (Hard Spun {USA}) with her dam a half-sister to five stakes performers.
Winning her 2021 debut two weeks ago, No Nay Never’s (USA) Group 1 winner Alcohol Free (Ire) is one of the leaders in the G1 1000 Guineas market. The filly’s sire shuttled to Australia from 2016 to 2019 and is the sire of multiple New Zealand stakes winner Need I Say More.
Australiasia well-represented in Palace House
Brazen Beau’s Group 3 winner Dubai Station (GB) lines up in the in the G3 Betfair Palace House S. for a new yard after selling for 150,000 gns (AU$299,250) at last year’s Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale. The colt is out of an Iffraaj (GB) half-sister to stakes winner and Group 2-placed Imperial Guest (GB) (Imperial Dancer {GB}) and five other winners.
Aljady (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) looks to become the latest stakes winner for his family in this spot. The gelding is out of a half-sister to the dam of multiple Australian stakes winner Libran (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) with 12 stakes performers descending from his Group 3-winning grandam State Crystal (Ire) (High Estate {Ire}).
Glamorous Anna (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) represents her sire in this race as she looks to secure her first stakes win. Her dam is a half-sister to stakes winner Just Glamorous (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) and Glamorous Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and to Hong Kong runner Ho In One (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). She is joined here by fellow Cable Bay (Ire) runner Liberty Beach (GB), the winner of multiple stakes races with multiple Group 1 placings as well at two and three.
Dubawi (Ire) 4-year-old Lazuli’s (Ire) grandam is a half-sister to multiple Australian Group 1-placed Carlton House (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) with Australian runner Vaniloquio (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) is also in the family.
Southern France relative looks for update in Jockey Club
Pablo Escobarr (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is attempting to win his first Grade 2 in the G2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club S. after placing in multiple stakes but only being able to secure a group victory at the Group 3 level. The colt hails from the same family as Galileo’s (Ire) G2 Zipping Classic winner Southern France (Ire), who most recently ran in the G1 Sydney Cup for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace.
Australian connections abound in 2000 Guineas
Wootton Bassett’s (GB) Chindit (Ire) has won three stakes and four of his five starts overall to be one of the favourites in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. The colt’s family includes multiple Australian winner Last Week (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}), who is in training with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and just made his 2021 return to the races last weekend.
The second runner for Wootton Bassett in this Classic is the stakes-placed Legion Of Honour (GB). That colt is one of two runners from two to race out of his dam and comes from the family of New Zealand stallion War Decree (USA). Also among the colt’s family are Group 1 winner Reckless Abandon (USA) (Exchange Rate {USA}), Ticker Tape (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}), and Brando (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
A full brother to Australian millionaire Johannes Vermeer (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Wembley (Ire) is also a full brother to Goodwood’s TDN Australia H. winner Sapa Inca (Ire) among the five stakes horses out of Inca Princess (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Placed in multiple Australian Group 1s, Johannes Vermeer was raced by the Williams family in Australia.
Godolphin’s Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) looks to give his family a second Group 1 winner in a month after Cascadian’s (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) G1 Doncaster victory at Royal Randwick a few weeks ago. Master Of The Seas is a half-brother to the dam of that gelding with his dam Firth Of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) producing five stakes horses as a broodmare.
American Pharoah’s Group 1-winning juvenile Van Gogh (USA) is set to be another horse representing Ballydoyle in Saturday’s race. Out of G1 1000 Guineas and G1 Epsom Oaks winner in Imagine (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), he’s one of four Group winners out of his dam.
Coming into this race with two wins from two starts is Invincible Spirit’s (Ire) Mutasaabeq (GB). The Shadwell colt comes from the family of Australian Group 1 winner Shraaoh (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and his Group 2-winning full brother Raheen House (Ire). Mutasaabeq convinced his connections to run him when winning his seasonal debut at Newmarket by 6l on April 13.
Multiple Group-placed Mystery Smiles (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) is out of the stakes winning Danetime (Ire) mare Alexander Alliance (Ire). Among that mare’s half-sisters the dam of Group 1 winner Maarek (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who is also the grandam of New Zealand stakes-placed Woodcote Lass (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}). Woodcote Lass is scheduled to race in New Zealand the day before Mystery Smiles contests the 2000 Guineas. Her dam had a U S Navy Flag (USA) filly last year and was bred to Ten Sovereigns (Ire) for her 2021 foal.
Among the other horses Godolphin has lining up in the G1 2000 Guineas is Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). That colt’s grandam is a half-sister to the New Zealand-based Trujillo (USA) (Saint Ballado {Can}), who is the dam of stakes winner Ruby Armani (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) and stakes-placed Our Tigress (NZ) (Tiger Hill {Ire}). Trujillo’s youngest foal is a yearling colt by Remind (USA) born in November of 2019.
Zhang Yuesheng sees Lope De Vega’s (Ire) Grade 1-winning son Lucky Vega (Ire) in this spot. The 3-year-old counts Grade 1 winner Desert Blanc (GB) (Desert Style {Ire}) among his family members with the ill-fated Group 2 winner Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) also on the page.
Mohaafeth out Saturday Newmarket stakes action
Frankel (GB) looks to continue what has been an excellent few weeks when Mohaafeth (Ire) lines up in this spot. Mohaafeth is out of a half-sister to the dam of multiple Australian Group-placed Dal Harraild (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who was retired last July.
Sunday Races
Family affair in Pretty Polly
Out of a half-sister to 2005 Australian Group 1 winner Cape Of Good Hope (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) is Pretty Polly S. runner Forever Grateful (Ire) (Gleneagles {{Ire}). Another half-sister to that gelding is the dam of the Australian-bred, African stakes winner Table Bay (Redoute’s Choice). Table Bay’s dam is still active in Australia, most recently giving birth to an Epaulette filly last year and visiting Russian Revolution.
Lady Hayes (Ire) is another out of a half-sister to an Australian stakes runner with her stakes-winning dam seeing half-brother Pacodali (Ire) (Paco Boy {Ire}) win the G3 Eclipse S. The gelding is in active training with Maddie Raymond and made his latest start in January at Flemington.
Juddmonte homebred Senita (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is out of Atone, a full sister to the great Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who produced the Michael and Luke Cerchi-trained Group 3 winner Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}). Another one of Atone’s half-siblings is the Australian stakes winner and multiple Group-placed Midsummer Sun (GB) (Monsun {Ger}).
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin send out Danilova (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a daughter of stakes winner Princess Dansante (Ire) (King’s Best {USA}). The filly’s family includes New Zealand Group 2 winner Needle And Thread (NZ) (Makfi {GB}), that one’s multiple Group 1-placed Savile Row (NZ) and Australian resident Buckhurst (Ire) (Australia {GB}).
By a former shuttle stallion and out of a half-sister to an Australian stakes winner, Dubai Fountain (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) has multiple Australian connections. The filly’s dam is a half-sister to Australian stakes winner and Group-placed Secret Number (GB) (Raven’s Pass {USA}). Those under her second dam also include Group 2 and multiple Group 1-placed Tatra (Hussonet {USA}), whose dam Slovakia (USA) had her final Australian foal – a filly named Unify (Sepoy) in 2015.
Australian siblings reign in Dahlia
G1 Caulfield S. winner Benbatl (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) sees his sister try to add her own stakes win to the page when Fooraat (Ire) lines up in the G2 Betfair Dahlia S. on Sunday. The filly’s page has multiple Australian stakes winners with G1 Toorak H. winner He’s Our Rokkii (NZ) (Roc De Cambes {NZ}) under her third dam alongside stakes winner Noogoora Burr (Royal Academy {USA}). That runner is also a full sibling to G1 Flight S.-third Fleur Royale.
A half-sister to multiple Australian Group winner Brimham Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock), Sepoy’s stakes winner Chamade (GB) is among the intended runners in the Dahlia S. The filly’s dam is also a half-sister to the grandam of Group 3-placed Victorem (NZ) (Shooting To Win) with Victorem in training with Anne Herbert and Brimham Rocks in training with Chris Waller.
Multiple stakes-placed Australian runner Above Average (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Group 3-placed Granddukeoftuscany (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) see their sister Freyja (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) try to secure her first Group victory here. Many of Freyja’s immediate relatives have made their way to Australia and found success. Her Group 3-winning half-sister Sent From Heaven (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) is the dam of Almania (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who came to Australia in late 2020 and is in training with Kris Lees.
Puissance De Lune’s (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) full sister Queen Power (Ire) is back for a 5-year-old season in the Dahlia. The mare is also a full sister to Australian stakes-placed His Majesty (Ire) and a half-sister to French Group 1 winner Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). A strong worldwide family, Queen Power is also a half-sister to the dam of Irish Champion Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).
Dubawi’s (Ire) Maamora (Ire) is looking to bring more Group success to the family this weekend only weeks after Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) won the G1 Australian Oaks. Hungry Heart is out of Maamora’s half-sister, Harlech (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), who had a pair of Snitzel foals in 2018 and 2019 and visited her owner’s Alabama Express last season.
